Dig up San Jose's past at event at History Park

Not many people are aware that San Jose was once home to a bustling Chinatown. The enclave located in what is now downtown existed from the late 1880s to 1931.

History Park's "Friends & Family Series: Digging Up San Jose's Past," 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 3, will highlight those 19th-century Chinese pioneers--and give children the opportunity to be junior archaeologists.

Starting at noon, Stanford Archaeology Center students will conduct a mock excavation, screening, identification and reconstruction of artifacts found in that early Chinatown.

For the grown-ups, Dr. Barbara Voss, associate professor at Stanford, will speak on "The Archaeology of Anti-Immigrant Violence" in the Firehouse lecture room, starting at 1:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

The day's events are co-sponsored by the Chinese Historical & Cultural Project, a group that spearheaded the construction of History Park's Chinese American Historical Museum--a re-creation of the temple that served as the heart of that long-ago community. The museum will be open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visitors to the park that day are encouraged to check out other structures such as the Print Shop, the Fruit Barn, the One Room School House and Umbarger House, built by a real "Forty-Niner." And, of course, icy treats will be available at O'Brien's Candy Store & Ice Cream Parlor.

Admission is $5 (kids 2 and under free) for History Park, 635 Phelan Ave., San Jose. More information at historysanjose.org.